It is with immense sadness that we have learnt that Dr Nin Tomas passed away today in Auckland. He uri nō Ngāti Kahu me Te Rarawa hoki.

Dr Tomas was the first Māori to graduate with a doctorate in law from the University of Auckland and went on to become an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law.

Dr Tomas was raised in Kaitaia and dedicated her academic life to advancing Māori student achievement. In 1995, Dr Tomas was a founding member of the annual National Māori Issues Moot, an event that is eagerly contested by Māori law students throughout the country in both te reo Māori and English. In 2004, Dr Tomas introduced Te Tai Haruru, The Journal of Māori Legal Writing as a forum for academic discussion of Māori concepts and principles and their legal application, by Auckland law students and lecturers. In recent times, Dr Tomas has written extensively about Ngā Tikanga Mate, examining the principles and protocols that Māori use to govern tangi, and legal rules, principles and processes that govern where a person is buried.

Dr Tomas is survived by her son Dr Inia Tomas and will be remembered by all of those whose lives she affected as an advocate for justice, and a steward for on-going participation of Māori within the legal system.